As a child back home I had often heard of the wee folk that lived in the glade,
Leprechauns they were called and tho rarely seen were the stuff of which folklore was made.
It had been my quest for many a year to find one, for it had been told,
That if you did, he could never deny passing over his prized pot of gold.
Leaving my home, I set off alone, to see what my fortunes would bring,
And along the way and over the years I experienced some glorious things.
I saw sunsets and snow, and even enjoyed the sounds that came with the showers.
I saw trees change colour twice a year, I even noticed the purple in flowers.
Most of all I found love and love in return and pondered how lucky I got,
That, despite all my imperfections, someone loved me, no matter what.
I looked at it all, the love, the life, the flowers and all that I’d gained,
But try as I might, the pot of gold, was the one thought that always remained.
So with travels over, I did return to that glorious land of green,
This time in earnest to hunt for those folk so very rarely seen!
The days dragged on without any luck, but I scoured the sky for a sign,
For I knew that at least a rainbow, would lead to the gold so rightfully mine.
At last the rain came and a rainbow appeared, with colours that called out to me,
Here indeed was the clue that I anxiously sought, if over my quest was to be.
You see, around the campfires for many a year, the same story had always been told,
That if you can find the end of the rainbow, you will find your own pot of gold.
To that point, I had travelled the length of the land and always to no avail,
But with failing effort and a weary heart, I decided to trek one more trail.
On rounding the bend as I came to the end, I could hear a joyful sound,
Someone was happily singing, was the leprechaun finally found?
Could this be it, I thought to myself, could my search be finally over?
Then, there he was, the man himself, sitting, surrounded by shamrocks and clover.
We looked at each other for quite a while, but mostly he was looking at me,
He knew what I wanted, for I’d finally found, the one I had searched long to see.
Then way behind and off to left, I saw the pot, which I knew would hold,
All that I had searched for all of my life, a treasure, my own pot of gold.
“Hand it over!” I said to this tiny man, “for you know that’s what you must do”
“Just take a wee minute”, he said in reply, “at least let me say this to you”.
“You’ve looked for me always and now that you’re here, what did you expect to find,
Treasure, gold, riches, jewels, just what did you think in your mind?
Look at what you already have, you have health, you have love, and much more.
You see colours, hear sounds, you walk and you talk, so if you’re ready, let’s tally the score”.
“Tell me what did you pay for all that you have and what would it cost to replace?
Could all the money I have in my pot, take one less lined year from your face?
Sure, people fight to possess my gold and suffer all manner of strife,
But, I’ll tell you now all the gold in the world, couldn’t add one more day to your life”.
“It won’t buy you health, a true measure of wealth and here’s something else to know,
Neither will it buy love, whatever you think and it certainly won’t make love grow,
And that’s the real treasure of life to be sure, and you can quote me on that this day,
For love is the only investment you’ll know, that will grow when you give it away.”
“You may think that gold will buy a helping hand, in all that you seek to achieve,
But I’ll tell you now that the hand you seek is at the end of your very own sleeve!
So look in my pot and see what I’ve got”, I did and there was nothing there.
“What’s this?” I demanded, feeling confused, did it vanish into thin air?
“Surely you know,” he replied with a grin, “I’ve said what you needed to hear”,
Then, tipping over the empty pot, added, “The gold it never was here.
Most people seek it and yet overlook, that which they most need to know,
That they come to this world with all that’s required to help them to prosper and grow”.
“You see Sir” he said, “you didn’t need riches to help you in all that you do,
Don’t look to me for the pot of gold, for the gold that you seek is in you!”.
With that he was gone and I was alone, to sort out my thoughts on life’s wealth,
He was right, I had all that I needed, love, the flowers, my health.
So I give you this story whatever it’s worth, believing that it should be told,
Don’t search outside for the treasures of life, for YOU are your own pot of gold.
